Garbine Muguruza powers through Maria Sakkari in straight sets

Garbine Muguruza celebrates a key point during her quarterfinal match with Maria Sakkari during the Qatar Total Open 

Garbine Muguruza made very light work against a strong opponent at the Qatar Total Open Thursday night. Raising her level, the Spaniard was aggressive and focused against Maria Sakkari winning 6-3, 6-1 on centre court at the Khalifa International Tennis Centre. 

The two met for the first time this season, with Sakkari besting the Spaniard in straight sets back at Abu Dhabi. The Greek was no doubt in for another scuffle as Muguruza showed the defending champion of the tournament the night before. Playing through the motions, Muguruza battled Aryna Sabalenka back, playing through three sets to dial in once more. Sakkari got through easy, with Madison Keys, but the difficulty stepped up tenfold against the 27-year-old. 

Making sure that all went well, Sakkari held back Muguruza in the third to hold serve after a break on deuce. The Spaniard responded with a stronger output in the second, setting the bar for her opponent. Instead of getting a response, Muguruza went into the third game, breaking Sakkari, and consolidated it with a serve to love in the fourth. The 25-year-old ended Muguruza’s winning ways, holding her service in the fifth before scoring a break to level. 

The tie upped the ante for Sakkari, who wanted to get the lead but knew the challenges it would take. Muguruza made her push for the break, but the Greek refused to let her contain any breakpoints. They went four breaks until the fourth attempt for Muguruza clinched her the lead for the break back. Another serve to love gave the 27-year-old a two-game margin from Sakkari, hoping that she would stumble while serving to stay in it. 

She got way behind on serve, giving Muguruza points on an error and a stronger response by the Spaniard. Sakkari saved one for a shot to get to deuce but came up short as Muguruza closed the first with a returned winner in 37 minutes. It was the eighth made by the Spaniard who served nearly 90 percent which was the big factor in taking Sakkari’s offense out of the equation. 

The 25-year-old couldn’t dig in right away in the second as Muguruza pulled away and closed out the first game. Sakkari had a few too many errors on serve in the second but figured out how to fight them off and come through with the service hold. She hoped to get more out of Muguruza but the Spaniard remained unwavering. 

The 27-year-old went on to take the next four games, winning a shutout in the third before coming through the sixth with a double break. Remaining comfortable, the Spaniard went on to hold serve so well earning two match points and a spot in the semifinal with a forehand winner. Her success took one hour and four minutes finishing with the serve at 77 percent and only seven unforced errors throughout. “I had to raise my level,” said Muguruza after the match. “I knew I had a tough opponent and I’m happy that I felt great on the court.”

She’ll face Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals, who had back issues but fought through to be next in her path.